Travel & Tourism

Chicago – September 15, 2026 -- Great Rail Journeys, formerly known as Vacations By Rail, has launched a new Landmark Collection of premium escorted vacations, now open for booking through 2027.

The portfolio spans Europe, Canada, Africa and the United Kingdom, with itineraries running 7 to 17 days and combining iconic train routes, luxury hotels and small-group touring.

Five signature itineraries anchor the new collection

The 8-day Premium Glacier Express tour crosses the Swiss Alps in a privately chartered Excellence Class car, with guaranteed window seats, welcome Champagne and a five-course wine-paired menu. The 17-day Premium Canada Coast to Coast Tour pairs Goldleaf Class travel aboard The Rocky Mountaineer with stays at Fairmont properties in Québec City, Toronto, Jasper, Banff and Vancouver.

New York – September 15, 2026 -- Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has added eight new bespoke experiences to its 'Special Happens...' travel program, giving guests access to after-hours markets, private concerts, and a chance to perform on stage across its global properties.

Guests can DJ at Tokyo's hidden listening bar OFF RECORD

At Fairmont Tokyo, A Private Night of Music, Cocktails & Tokyo's Listening Bar Culture turns the acclaimed OFF RECORD bar into a private space for one evening. Guided by Bar Director Hideyuki Saito, guests move through four musical chapters -- J-Pop, UK Rock, Reggae, and American Soul -- each paired with a signature cocktail, before taking the decks for a private DJ session. The experience includes a stay in the Presidential Suite with curated in-room vinyl and audio, plus a private rickshaw journey and priority Tokyo Tower views.

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. – September 14, 2026 -- The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has opened reservations for its Summer 2028 European season, offering 52 voyages aboard its yachts Evrima and Ilma across the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

Trips run from late April through October 2028 with four- to nine-night itineraries.

Roundtrip departures are available from Rome, Monte Carlo, Athens, Venice, and Reykjavík. The season adds two new ports of call, Gijón, Spain and Portovenere, Italy, along with expanded stops through the Greek Isles and the Adriatic aboard Ilma.

New York – September 13, 2026 -- Loews Hotels & Co has rolled out Active Stays by Loews Hotels, a new fitness and wellness program available at its properties nationwide starting September 9. The initiative, developed with fitness trainer Makena Rae, gives guests flexible ways to move during a stay, from ten-minute in-room routines to full-morning walking tours.

In-room TVs now stream equipment-free workouts

Guests can access a curated library of short, guided sessions through their guest room television, including mobility exercises, bodyweight strength routines, and recovery workouts designed for hotel rooms. The digital series was created in partnership with Makena Rae for travelers who don't have time to visit the gym.

Cambridge, Mass. – September 13, 2026 -- EF Go Ahead Tours has launched seven new guided train tours across Europe and North America, with departures beginning in June and July 2027 and prices starting at $3,499.

Survey shows travelers crave the journey itself

New research from EF Go Ahead Tours and Qualtrics polled nearly 900 U.S. and Canadian travelers, who rated their interest in train-centric travel at an average of 73.06 on a 100-point scale. Comfort ranked as the top motivator at 66%, followed by scenic views (64%), the uniqueness of rail-only destinations (63%), convenience (49%), and sustainability (29%).

Tucson, Arizona – September 13, 2026 -- JW Marriott Tucson Starr Pass Resort & Spa has completed a full renovation of its 524 guestrooms and 51 suites, adding 16 suites to meet demand from luxury travelers.

New suite categories target families and stargazers

The resort introduced Family Bunk Bed Suites, pairing a king bed with twin bunks, alongside a new JW Camper Experience that includes a child-sized play camper, a campfire prop, sleeping bag, cookies, and an activity book. Four new Sonoran Starr Suites offer 1,275 square feet of living space plus an 868-square-foot private terrace, complete with a premium telescope for viewing Tucson's dark skies. Junior Suites grew by 13, and Executive Suites expanded from 15 to 20, each with separate living areas and private balconies.

St. Petersburg – September 13, 2026 -- Summer heatwaves have driven water levels on some of Europe's most popular rivers so low that cruise lines are altering or canceling itineraries, and travel insurance marketplace Squaremouth warns that most policies won't reimburse travelers for it.

Only 2 of 6 cruise-specific plans cover water level disruptions

Squaremouth lists six cruise-specific insurance plans on its platform, more than any other marketplace, but only IMG Choice Cruise and Tin Leg Cruise include coverage for cancellations tied to low or high water levels. Chrissy Valdez, Senior Director of Operations at Squaremouth, said travelers often assume any cruise-specific plan covers water-related disruptions, but that's usually not the case, making it essential to read the fine print before purchasing.

Valencia -- Cunard will send Queen Mary 2 into dry dock on March 31, 2027, for a refurbishment adding 31 new staterooms and upgraded wellness, dining and retail spaces before the ship returns to service on May 9, 2027.

Thirty-one new staterooms join the world's only ocean liner

The refit adds 16 new Cunard Princess Grill Suites and 15 new Britannia-category staterooms. Every existing Grill Suite will get refreshed interiors, furnishings and new spa-inspired bathrooms, while the Queens Grill and Princess Grill restaurants are also being updated.

Pet kennels and outdoor decks expand for transatlantic crossings

Queen Mary 2's kennels -- the only dedicated kennels at sea -- will be redesigned with increased capacity, a refurbished owners' lounge and a larger outdoor walking area. Additional outdoor deck space will be added, and deck games, paddle tennis and pickleball remain on board.

Munich – September 13, 2026 -- A new YouGov survey commissioned by Air Doctor finds that 37 percent of Germans consider reliable WiFi or mobile data access essential to a stress-free vacation, ranking it above travel insurance (31 percent) and round-the-clock access to medical help abroad (29 percent).

The poll surveyed 2,182 people in Germany between June 26 and 28, 2026, with results weighted to be representative of the population aged 18 and over.

Safety and health top the list, but priorities shift fast

Sixty-two percent of respondents said feeling safe abroad matters most for a relaxed trip, and 56 percent cited the health of all travelers. Yet immediately after these basics, attention turns to logistics: 33 percent value flexible rebooking or cancellation options, and 29 percent prefer a fully pre-planned itinerary.

Fort Worth, Texas – September 12, 2026 -- Travelers booking Round the World trips through oneworld.com will now receive a free subscription to Timeshifter, a jet lag app used by more than 1.7 million people worldwide.

The complimentary subscription, effective immediately, covers a customer's entire itinerary, factoring in every flight and time zone change from departure to final return.

Timeshifter builds personalized plans around each traveler's flight schedule

The app uses circadian science to generate advice tailored to a customer's flight itinerary, typical sleep pattern, chronotype, and personal preferences. Timeshifter says it is already used by astronauts, Formula One teams, and professional athletes.